During the time of eliminating the destructive insects in the farms, the farmers destroy various species of the beneficial insects due to lack of adequate knowledge in this regard. Time has come to enlist the beneficial insects for natural pest control.
All insects are not harmful for the crops and flowers but the chemical pesticides or insecticides used for their protection are more or less harmful for both human health and beneficial insects. The harmful insects can easily be controlled through promoting eco-friendly method of using organic fertiliser and indigenous insecticides instead of chemical ones.
The experts have listed the most common beneficial insects along with tips on attracting them to crop fields and gardens. Importance should be given on conservation of eco-friendly insects and side by side laying stress on successful promotion of biological pest management system in the agro-fields. So, it is necessary that we have to devise ways and means of controlling the harmful pests in hygienic way instead of direct poisoning.
The insects are the most valued organisms in conservation for their ecological roles and it is observed that terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems would not work without insects. The farmers and gardeners should be imparted with practical training on how to identify the beneficial insects. Some experts opined that the insect conservation scenario in Bangladesh is frustrating which is detrimental to the whole ecosystem.
The modern and eco-friendly dissemination policies should be developed so that the rural people may be sufficiently inspired to conserve one of the most important groups of natural resources in the country. The familiar round, orange spotted ladybug is just one of more than 400 species of lady beetles found in the country. Most ladybug adults and larvae feed on aphids and other soft-bodied insects. Adults are attracted to flower nectar and pollen, which they must eat before they can reproduce. Experts are of the opinion that to protect the beneficial insects from degradation for the sake of maintaining a sound environment a bio-pest management system should be promoted and developed among the growers. That is very important, indeed, for a sound ecosystem.
The writer is a retired Professor of Economics, BCS General Education Cadre.